You are on page 1of 6

Child and Adolescent Development

Human development is a lifelong process of physical, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional growth and change. In the
early stages of lifefrom babyhood to childhood, childhood to adolescence, and adolescence to adulthood
enormous changes take place. Throughout the process, each person develops attitudes and values that guide
choices, relationships, and understanding.

Sexuality is also a lifelong process. Infants, children, teens, and adults are sexual beings. Just as it is important to
enhance a child's physical, emotional, and cognitive growth, so it is important to lay foundations for a child's sexual
growth. Adults have a responsibility to help children understand and accept their evolving sexuality.
GROWTH
A child's growth can be compared with that of his or her peers by referring to the norm on an appropriate growth
chart. More important, the longitudinal measurements of a child's growth are a dynamic statement of his or her
general condition or health.
DEVELOPMENT
Development in childhood and adolescent period occurs changes in physical attributes like the changing of body
parts, same as emotionally they become unstable because of the experience they encounter. Change in stature and
weight is always the common sequence involve with the teenagers.
CHANGES
The physical changes that occur during puberty give rise to a variety of social and emotional changes as well. First,
the ongoing physical maturation process directly affects body and brain to alter children's needs, interests, and
moods. Then, as children start to look and act differently, an array of social influences further accelerate the social
and emotional changes children experience.
As children observe that their bodies are changing, they may experience a new and unfamiliar set of social
experiences. Reinforced by their first enjoyable experiences of sexual arousal, and by their peers and culture, they
become interested in forming what can become intense, romantic, and sometimes sexualized relationships with
others. Also, as these bodily changes become visible to others, children may begin to experience being treated
differently by others. For example, more rapidly maturing youth may experience an increase in their popularity, while
their more slowly maturing peers may experience a decline in popularity. Youth may also notice that other people are
suddenly paying a great deal more attention to how they look than they are accustomed.
The physical changes associated with puberty become the basis for new emotional experiences. For example, it is
common for parents to note their children become more moody and irritable during this period of their lives. This
moodiness is commonly attributed to the sudden and fluctuating hormonal levels, or "raging hormones". It is certainly
true that sex hormones are powerful chemical agents that can affect mood. During puberty, the body is adjusting to
these fluctuating hormone levels and this fluctuation does create mood swings. However, there are several other
physical causes accounting for increased moodiness apart from fluctuating hormones.
MATURATION
Maturation is the unfolding and ripening of the childs abilities, characteristics, traits, and potentialities present at birth
but only later coming to maturity in a developing organism. Maturing is the development of innate patterns of
behavior in ordered sequence.
First of all then we shall ask ourselves what proof we have of the fact of maturation; in contradistinction to the
behaviorists, who regard environmental influences as all important.
Parents have always recognized in a general way that the child grows up, and that in doing so he not only becomes
bigger, but develops new capacities and new interests, so that at each stage of development he is a different entity, a
different being.
They also recognized that such maturation is an innate process, and that he will naturally grow from infancy to
childhood, from childhood to adolescence, from adolescence to adult life without any effort or training on anyones
part.
But in recent years this process of maturation has come under the scrutiny of scientific, observers, who have thrown
a great deal of light upon the principles by which maturation proceeds.
HEREDITY
Heredi ty Factor
Heredi ty i s the transfer of trai ts from one generati on to another wi th t he hel p of chromosomes
Physi cal and Mental (Emoti onal ) are two t rai ts together pl ay a si gni fi cant rol e i n transfer of total
personal i ty from parents t o off spri ngs..
1. Physical Traits : Instances for physi cal trai ts are hei ght, body structure, shapes of
di fferent parts of body, heart -troubl e, di abetes, bal dness, asthma, etc.
2. Mental Traits : Mental and emoti onal trai ts are i nt el l i gence, memory power, i nterests and
tal ent i n musi c, art, l i t erat ure, danci ng etc. even cruel nature, cool -headed nature,
etc. come under these trai ts.
Laws of Heredi ty
1. Like produces like : Accordi ng to thi s l aw, human bei ng wi l l produce human bei ngs, j ust
as a cat wi l l produce a cat.
2. Only certai n traits are transformed : Accordi ng to thi s l aw, the domi nant trai ts get
transferred more easi l y than the recessi ve trai ts.
3. Convergence of two lives : Accordi ng to thi s l aw both the parents pl ay an equal l y
i mportant rol e i n convergi ng thei r trai ts to thei r off spri ngs.


ENVI RONMENT

Environment Factor
By envi ronment, we mean al l those physi cal and soci al factors that aff ect and i nfl uence the
devel opment of the chi l d l i ke the home, the fami l y, the nei ghborhood, the compani ons, the school ,
the teachers, the pol i ti cal and rel i gi ous agenci es, t he soci ety i n general . No i ndi vi dual i s the same
at maturi ty as he was born. Any or al l of the envi ronmental components can affect the heal th of the
person. Everythi ng that i nfl uences the chi l d apart from hi msel f from what he i nheri ted from hi s
parents i s hi s envi ronment.

STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

Earl y adol escence (11-13yrs. ol d), Mi ddl e adol escence (14-18yrs. ol d), Late adol escence (19-
21yrs. ol d). In thi s three stages, there are three ki nds of devel opment (Physi cal , Cogni ti ve, Soci al -
Emoti onal devel opment)

DEVELOPMENT TASK
A developmental task is a task that arises at or about a certain period in life, unsuccessful achievement of which
leads to inability to perform tasks associated with the next period or stage in life.
Developmental Task
1. Learning to get along with friends of both sexes.
2. Accepting one's physical body and keeping it healthy.
3. Becoming more self-sufficient.
4. Making decisions about marriage and family life.
5 Preparing for a job or career.
6. Acquiring a set of values to guide behavior.
7. Becoming socially responsible.
BIOLOGICAL CONTEXT OF DEVELOPMENT
Biological sensitivity to context in children may dispose them to be sensitive to both the harmful effects of adverse
contextual factors and the benefits of supportive contextual characteristics. This research has focused primarily on
early parenting and has examined differential susceptibility across various types of samples and using various
measurement strategies and conceptual frameworks. On the one hand, negative parenting behaviors (e.g., maternal
hostility, power assertion, psychological control) have been associated with a range of poor outcomes among
children with temperaments characterized by negative emotionality, typically operationalized as difficult temperament,
irritability, proneness to frustration/anger, impulsivity, fearfulness, or inhibition

PRI NCI PLES OF HUMAN GROWTH
1. Conti nui ty
2. Sequenti al i ty
3. General i ty to speci fi ci ty
4. Di fferenti al i ty
5. Devel opment proceeds f rom the head downward
6. Devel opment proceeds f rom the center of the body outward
7. Devel opment depends on maturati on and l earni ng
8. Devel opment proceeds f rom the si mpl e to more compl ex
9. Growth i s a personal matt er
10. Growth comes from wi thi n
11. Growth has certai n characteri sti cs common at parti cul ar stages
12. Growth i s gradual and orderl y but uneven

There are five primary areas of development parents need to be aware of as child grow. These five domains
are cognitive, emotional, social, adaptive and physical, and cover almost every aspect of a child's life.
Doctors will occasionally record and look specifically at cognitive domain during checkups. However, the
other domains are just as important in the development of your preschool-aged child.

Physical
During this stage of development your child is rapidly developing his gross and fine motor skills. He will learn how to
jump and balance on one foot, write numbers and letters, draw shapes, and throw and catch a ball.
Cognitive
The cognitive domain is where children begin to think and ask questions about where things are and why they are
happening. Cognitive development rapidly occurs during the preschool years. During the preschool years children
can envision objects that are being talked about without the object being physically present. Children also begin to
form stable concepts about their environment and their own being.


Emotional
Emotional development tends to grow as social development grows. Children begin to understand that actions have
consequences and they start learning how to manage their emotions. Children start to realize they can manage such
emotions as fear, sadness, anger and happiness. Their self-confidence is also developing, and neglecting your child
can begin to have a very negative impact.
Social
Although empathy is not a strong point at this age, your child will show signs of this development as she begins to
share more information willingly. She will also begin developing conflict resolution skills. Your child will begin
understanding the basics behind reasoning and how the world works, and both the good and bad aspects of being a
cooperative, active member of society. She will also start to participate in group activities, especially games, and will
still enjoy imaginary play time.
Adaptive
Adaptive domains in early childhood refer to a child's ability to use daily living skills such as getting himself dressed,
brushing his teeth, combing his hair and even being able to get milk out of the refrigerator. As your child enters
preschool he should be learning how to snap or button shirts and should be using the bathroom by himself.

You might also like